Opening the doors for future women scientists

Ninth grader Leila Randall, of Saratoga, has been accepted to Teton Science School’s Young Women and Science program from Nov. 1 to 6.

The Young Women and Science program focuses on engaging girls’ interest in science to inspire leadership in future women scientists. During the week in residence at Kelly Campus in Grand Teton National Park, Randall will focus on the ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem including explorations of disturbance and fire ecology, biotic communities and the area’s unique wildlife, according to the Teton Science School. Each day is spent outdoors.

Randall said that she is most interested in astronomy and oceanography, but it is a tough choice for her. “In the context of the whole, I feel like we know the least about [them] and are still learning,” Randall said. “I feel like astronomy and oceanography, for how big they are … that those are the ones that if we studied them a lot more we could end up learning really cool things.”

In times past when Randall attended Teton Science School, she most enjoyed all the hiking while learning about the environment around her and the teamwork workshops. This will be her first time attending the school alone. For her future plans, Randall is thinking about becoming a doctor.

Shaleas Harrison, science teacher at Saratoga Middle-High School and former graduate student at Teton Science School, nominated Randall for the program that she used to teach. When Harrison received the email about the program, she immediately thought of Randall thriving at the camp socially and academically when they attended as a class last year. “It’s really empowering,” Harrison said.